The Orioles announced Thursday that they’ve acquired right-hander Colin Selby from the Royals in exchange for cash. He’s been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Kansas City had recently designated Selby for assignment. The O’s transferred Kyle Bradish from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster.
Selby, 26, pitched just three big league innings for the Royals this season, allowing a pair of runs in that short time. Kansas City acquired Selby from Pittsburgh back in April, sending minor league southpaw Connor Oliver to the Pirates in return. Selby pitched 24 innings with the Bucs last year but was tagged for 24 runs in that time. To date, he’s allowed 26 earned runs in 27 MLB frames.
Obviously, that’s a poor track record but also a small sample at the game’s top level. But the former 16th-round pick is no stranger to minor league success, having posted excellent numbers at the Double-A level in addition to some decent but inconsistent results in Triple-A. Selby notched a sub-4.00 ERA with a 30.8% strikeout rate for Pittsburgh’s Triple-A club last season but has struggled to a 5.32 ERA in 20 Triple-A frames between Indianapolis and Omaha this year.
Missing bats is nothing new for Selby, who’s punched out 25.6% of his career minor league opponents. That includes some lesser strikeout rates in the lower minors when he was still working as a starter. Since moving up to the Double-A level and shifting exclusively to a relief role, Selby has fanned 29.8% of the batters he’s faced. His bat-missing arsenal, as is often the case, is accompanied by troubling command woes, however. He’s dished out a free pass to 12.5% of his combined Double-A/Triple-A opponents and plunked another five hitters. Between those walks and HBPs, he’s given first base away to about 14% of the hitters he’s faced in the upper minors.
Selby is in the second of three minor league option years and doesn’t yet have a full season of MLB service under his belt. If the O’s can get him straightened out, he’ll be optionable again next season and under club control for a full six seasons. There’s quite a ways to go before that’s even a plausible situation, but Baltimore has a knack for coaxing strong relief work from unheralded acquisitions. Their track record isn’t spotless, of course, but the O’s have unlocked next-level performances from Yennier Cano, Danny Coulombe, Cionel Perez and Jacob Webb, among others, despite middling to nonexistent track records at their time of acquisition.
What I’m reading is the Orioles lacked depth in the bullpen
You seem obsessed with Stowers. Uncomfortably so.
He sure is..but right now hes got 1 in 35 games..so hes 26 years old now at this rate he should get to 60 at some point…
FFF69: Poolhalljunkies has the SAME AMOUNT of “big league homers” as YOU DO. In fact, I have the SAME AMOUNT as YOU DO. The difference is that YOU’RE the one who practically trolls every MLBTR article.
Clearly Kyle Stowers’ agent has joined us in the comment section, and he’s apparently still celebrating the 4th of July HARD.
FFF- Sorry,Pirates management are not the brightest bulbs but a trade for Skenes who pitched a 7 inning no hitter today for a guy with one ML home run has absolutely no chance.
You might want to think a little more before you post.
trolling
Yeah, agree. Instead they’ll wait a couple of years when he’s out the top of all MLB to trade him for a few middle infield prospects
The Pirates Way
Paul hit 38 plakatas as a catcher in college and will F a splinker through a keyhole from 100 yds
Full throttle!!
He’ll be the next George Sherrill in no time
Your summary provides no depth. I prefer the author.
Angels need to start purging the bottom of the bullpen for ptbnl.
So…ths Orioles just traded for a future All Star. Got it. 🙂
lol. You funny but Shelby does have that type of stuff, it’s legit. Been following his development in Pirates minors for several years. He’s made big improvements over last few years. It’s really location for him. Talent wise it’s strong enough to be Kirby Yates type for sure
He’s an optionable 26 year old RP who has an almost 30% K rate. A little cash to give our pitching guys a chance to tinker with him for a bit and see what happens? Sure.
The Orioles acquisition of Ryan O’Hearn from the Royals seemed to work out and his numbers didn’t look good at all either. The article addresses the pitchers that they saw something in as well. honestly, I never thought Ryan Webb would be anything either. Zero real downside, lots of reward.
Walk rate is double what is acceptable especially for a reliever. He’s a project still but a 30% strikeout rate is near elite. It’s worth a triple A flyer for the O’s see if they can tweak his command a bit.
Not a lot of difference making hitters on this list, at least not in comparison to past seasons. As a Mariners fan, this is a bummer. We need two bats. I still believe that for the right price teams could get Paredes of the Rays or McMahon of the Rockies. Both would help any team needing a bat.
The last trade the O’s and Royals made for Cash Considerations worked out great for Baltimore (cf Ryan O’Hearn), so there is hope that KC has hooked them up again.
I don’t question the Orioles ability to find and rehabilitate cheap and effective bullpen arms out of the dumpster. They’ll be needed down the stretch when injuries and fatigue pile up for their heavily utilized ‘pen.